Stick Shift Drive
by PekoPekoyama
Summary: College AU Han Solo meets a waitress named Leia at bar. The two bond and there is slight conflict with her brother.


Dismal lighting and soft jazz music played late in the college student's favorite bar, The Cantina. It was as crowded and lively as ever, or at least for a Thursday night. Han and Lando were found in a booth in the far back. The toxic smells of cigarettes and alcohol practically felt like home. Built on brown concealed walls decorated with metal interior, with poor ceramic tile that was decades old. Sometimes a fight would take place here every once in a while, to stir things up. The Cantina was their go-to hangout spot when they weren't buried in school work and wanted somewhere to escape to, that was fast and cheap. Not to mention, two miles away from campus. Han sat bored, as he traced the pattern of the wooden table as Lando gave him another one of his 'talks.'

"You are such an idiot sometimes, Han." He threw his hands up and turned to face the entrance, too pissed off to even look at his best friend right now. "You pull that stupid stunt again and both of our asses are going to be on prohibition." Han couldn't help but laugh, thinking about their little trip to the office. "Hey now," he suddenly got defensive. "Those preppy little cheerleaders had it coming." Lando slapped Han's hand on the table and pointed an angry finger at him. "You came to me, seeking my help. I'm not letting you get expelled from campus because of your reckless behavior." Han slumped in his booth, pressing his back against the grey cushions as he the truth slowly sinked in. He had a point, he barely go into Yavin University with his grades and he wasn't going to blow it.

"And you have to stop hiding Chewie in your dorm! No wonder you always smell like dog." Lando added. The university had a strict policy against pets, but somehow Han has managed to hide his dog, Chewie, for the past few months. "Don't bring Chewie into this." He begged, feeling bad for that small little fur ball, being stuck in his crammed dorm room all the time. Staring into bar ceiling lights, he had begun to wonder what was worse, sitting through this conversation or the fact he could be doing calculus now.

"Han." Lando leaned forward, patting him on the shoulder. "I swear-" Han was interrupted by another pat on the shoulder. "No man, look." He nudged him to look toward the bar, where a waitress was working behind a counter. Her brown hair neatly braided in a wrap, the up-do look drew more attention to her fine facial features. She wore a mustard yellow V-neck and a black miniskirt, as all other waitresses did.

Han turned his attention back with his eyebrows raised. "You know she has checked you out for the last ten minutes." Lando smirked. "Why don't you go up there and see if that beauty could get you a drink." Han was already way ahead of him, strutting his way the bar, each step was with confidence and cockiness. He plopped down on the bar stool next to an older man.

Lando leaned against the booth, smug, arms crossed, clearly intrigued to see how this goes.

Eventually the waitress made her way to Han. Wiping down cup sweats with a dish rag, trying not to make it too obvious that she was interested in the dark haired man that she's been checking out. "Can I get you something?" She said in a flat voice, as if he was any other customer, trying to keep her cool. "I'll take a-" he began with a forced grin, but stopped short, catching her brown eyes staring back at him. "Whiskey." She popped an eyebrow and paused, looking doubtful. "You sure?" he nodded and she shrugged, turning her back away from him, reaching for the knobs of the alcohol machine on the other side of the bar.

Han bit down on his bottom lip, not sure what got into him just now. His hands played with the edge of the metal plastic bar, trying to settle his emotions. However, she had the softest, warmest eyes. A honey brown color you just melt into and pink rosy cheeks that brought out her smile. She practically look like a fairy tale princess. The feeling was indescribable, she was pretty and she had a graceful presence in a room full of drunks. When he looked at her, something clicked. However, all of this was so cliché and mushy that he could puke. He knew Lando was probably laughing his ass off right now and he was never going to hear the end of it.

Five minutes later the waitress came back with a twelve ounce whiskey. Neatly placing it on a costar, he caught himself mesmerized by the golden color of the alcohol in the clear glass, tracing the bubbles as they ran to a thin white layer on the top. He snapped back from his daydreaming to realize the why he came over was to talk to the cute waitress, and so far he's been unsuccessful.

Nervously scratching the back of his messy brown hair, he struggled to make conversation. "So, uh. You must be new here. I haven't seen you around before."

The waitress made eye contact briefly before smiling at her feet in embarrassment. "Yeah, I just moved here from Arizona with my brother. He's in college now and I'm just doing what I can here at Cantina."

Han nodded along casually as she spoke until she mentioned college. He raised an eyebrow, "Yavin University?" Her face lit up. "That's the one. Do you go there?" Han, of course nodded. "Maybe you know him, his name is Luke." She added.

Now that he thought about it he remembered meeting a blond with a boyish face named Luke in the guys' gym. Han shook his head and lied. "Nah, I don't know him." A smirk swept across his face as he looked down slightly, before his eyes met hers. "Perhaps I could get your name though?" He asked boldly.

"Leia." She returned slowly, pronouncing each letter proudly. Han crosses his hands and leaned forward on the plastic metal bar. "It's a pleasure to meet you Leia. I'm Han Solo."

"Han Solo?" She wanted to laugh, but bit down on the inside of cheek to keep her from doing so. "What kind of a name is that? That sounds like a hero out of cheesy comic book." Han shrugged, somewhat use to the response. "Well, it's my name. Not much I can do about it, sweetheart." Leia eyes widen on emphasis on 'sweetheart.' Her tongue clicked the side of her teeth as she rolled her eyes. "You got a lot of nerve, fly boy." Han leaned back on the bar stool, picking up his glass and pressing it against his lips, letting the whiskey burn down his throat.

The older gentleman next to Han, gently shook his hand onto Han's brown leather jacket. Han eyes flared and jaw tightened as he was startled by the sudden touch on the shoulder. Only getting a profile view, he heard the stranger speak. "Listen pal, if you want to go on a date with her, you'll have to get in line." Han barely got a glimpse of the guy before giving Leia a puzzled look. "Is this guy your father?" He asked half frightened, jabbing a thumb toward his direction. Leia couldn't help but burst out laughing in unison with older man. Apparently it was so funny that she had to hold on to ice machine in back to keep her from falling.

Han sat confused, rubbing his jaw. As time went on, without an explanation he became annoyed. He sat in silence, drowning out the awkward tension by listening to the mediocre jazz band. The older man eventually quiet down and his light blue eyes caught Han's attention. The man was somewhere in his sixties, the wrinkles on his face told time has done him well. His hair was an off white and his accent made you felt like you could trust him. "I didn't think you would take me seriously, son."

Eventually Leia returned to the bar, slightly pink and smiling so wide that Han found adorable. "No, no." She started, still slightly giggling. "This is Ben. He's a good friend of mine and is suddenly is quite the jokester." Her eyes lightened up as she glanced toward Ken. "You're always so serious. I didn't think you had it in you." Ben smiled as he lifted up his drink, although he started feel the stares of Han and Leia. Eyeing the two of them, he got the clue he was coming in between something, put down his drink, and slowly moved up from bar stool. As he headed out the door, Ben glanced toward Leia's direction one last time. A reassuring smile formed on the corners of his mouth. Something about his expression had Ben's approval of Han, which Leia appreciated.

Han turned his attention to Leia, turning his heel on stool. "That was fun. How about after work we-"

"Go on a date?" Leia suggested, finishing his sentence. Han's head bobbed and grinned cocky as ever. "I would like that." Leia grabbed a napkin from a nearby dispenser, grabbing a pen from her apron pocket. Quickly jotting down her number and sliding it against the metal counter. "I know."

* * *

Early seven o'clock in the morning, Luke came home to his apartment after lacrosse practice. His physics club tee stained in sweat and his blond hair unkempt. The aroma of the paint welcomed him back to his cozy little apartment. "Leia?" He called out while entering through the side entrance. Scanning rooms for signs of his sister, he didn't hear from her at all the other night and grew worried, yet he spoke again: "There is a piece of junk parked in our parking spot. I was wondering-" He stopped as ne noticed men's shoes sitting outside of Leia's room. He recognized they didn't belong to him, with caution, he knocked on his sister's wooden door. "Leia?" he asked softly, leaning towards the door.

After a few seconds of silence, he had given up and moved through the dark hallway to the kitchen and living room. An unusual coffee scent trailed into the kitchen. His eyes caught a brunette figure stood hiding behind a cabinet in the kitchen. "Leia? Is that you?"

The sound of cups crashing into a sink and the sound of someone cursing under their breath followed. Luke followed the sound with caution, as an unsettling feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. His slowly he made small movements as went to duck behind a counter. He saw a brief look of a stranger, standing in a pair of navy blue boxers casually in his kitchen.

His back against the white wooden counter, his slowly started taking deep breaths. What would Ben do in this situation? Every nerve in his body was screaming at him. He wanted to run and find Leia and another part of him was telling to him to full force and attack the intruder. He did neither of those, instead he raised his head like prairie dog.

Han leaning against the sink, panicking, as he saw Luke as he popped his head from the counter. Cautiously, with the startled look in his face, he made eye contact with the stranger. Raising his hands up, as if he meant no harm, he tried to calm him down. "Woah, Woah," Han hushed him, knowing Leia was in shower, and if she heard what sounded like a crime being committed by a guy in his underwear. Well, he would have a lot of awkward explaining to do. Although, it's too late for avoid awkwardness now. "Hey, kid. Luke, is it? I'm Han and I'm just a friend of your sister's." He clarified as calmly as he could.

Luke slowly rose behind the counter, puzzled, he scanned the man before him. Shaking his head in disbelief that this was happening in his kitchen. "Don't I see you at the gym sometimes?" He asked without thinking.

Han pointed a finger gun toward him. "Bingo!" He exclaimed with a little wink. A feeling of relief swept over him that at least he recognized him from somewhere. Although, it still didn't help the cause much. "I've seen you around the college campus. Sorry we had to meet like this-"

A sound of a door swung open and both of their heads turn toward Leia, who was now standing outside of her room. Her hair was out of the usual braid and was dripping wet, she had dressed herself in comfy warm up clothes. Her eyes wide and hands over her mouth. "Luke." She whispered in a soft voice. "Oh my-"She stuttered, but seemed loss for words. "I didn't think you'd be home this early and I-"

Luke raised the palm of his hand up, as a sign for her it was unnecessary to explain. Staring at his feet as he was too embarrassed to look at her, he said: "Look, whatever is going on here, its fine." His eyebrows furrowed as glanced up at Leia quickly. "I just don't want to come home to a half-naked man again, okay? I'm just glad you are safe. I was worry about you." Leia nodded without saying a word. After an awkward silence, Luke gave his sister a sympathetic look before going to his room. The sound of each footstep was pounding in Leia's head. Her eyes were scrunched tight as she counted the seconds until it was over.

With the sound of his door shutting, Han broke out in a wheezy laughter. "Ok, I did not see that one coming." Leia glared as angrily marched towards the kitchen and punched his muscular chest. "What the hell were you thinking?" She snapped with a ringing furious tone in her voice. "I told you had to leave half an hour ago."

Han retaliated with a defensive stare and he retorted back: "And I was enjoying my coffee." Gesturing towards the coffee cup in sink. Leia sighed deeply, to disgust to look at him at the moment. Her shoulders felt heavy and she rested her arms on the marbled counter tops, trying to ease her on-coming migraine. "Well princess, if it makes you feel any better, now we don't have to worry about telling about us being together." Han shrugged casually, crossing his arms and let out another grin. "S'bout time I meet your brother anyways."

She froze as she stomached his choice of words. Her head slightly tilted and breaking eye contact away from Han. "I suppose you're right." She let out in a quiet voice. She felt a hand shake her shoulder and Han shouting in an excited tone. "Now come on, I got so much I want to do with you today. Just wait until you meet my dog, Chewie!"


End file.
